"I think it's still too early for you to make any decision."
Yang Yang sat in his office, earnestly advising Frenkie de Jong, the midfielder who had just returned from playing for the Netherlands National Team.
Just a few days ago, another piece of news had broken in Catalonia, Spain: Barcelona had taken a liking to this Ajax midfielder.
As the saying went, outsiders watched the spectacle, while insiders understood the real story.
Professionals all had a clear measure of what kind of player Frenkie de Jong was.
It wasn't just Barcelona. Tottenham Hotspur had just been knocked out of the Champions League by Ajax, and immediately turned around and tried to poach Ndombele. Although Pochettino constantly criticized Ajax's Double Defensive Midfielders, he was positively salivating over Ndombele.
There was also Jović, who had just scored five goals in a game. The Serbian center-forward had won unanimous praise through his increasingly outstanding performances this season, and his transfer value had soared along with them.
Neres, Sancho, Van de Beek, De Ligt, Militão, Achraf, Tagliafico, Ødegaard, Rosario... Even the goalkeeper Onana had begun attracting attention.
If the teams from the Four Major Leagues were landlords and wealthy landowners, then they were now eyeing the several fertile fields in Ajax's household.
The most urgent of them all was Barcelona.
As everyone knew, Barcelona's midfield had suffered from serious problems ever since Xavi and Iniesta. This had prevented the team from playing its possession-based style, so Barcelona had always been committed to finding a new midfield trio.
From Verratti to Pogba to Arthur, and now Frenkie de Jong, Barcelona's targets had always been clear.
The outside world criticized Ajax's Double Defensive Midfielders relentlessly, but that was definitely not because they lacked ability. Even if one wanted to criticize their poor performances, one